Lamp guard and reflector unit



May 4, 1943. R. POPP LAMP: GUARD AND REFLECTOR UNIT Filed Dec. 4, 194! r 1, 11 3 P. ,7 I

Patented May 4, 1943 LAll/IP GUARD AND REFLECTOR UNIT Rudolf Popp, Valparaiso, Ind., assignor to McGill Manufacturing Company, Valparaiso, 1116., a v corporation of Indiana Application December 4, 1941, Serial No. 421,658

4 Claims.

' This invention relates generally to illuminating devices and particularly to a guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp.

It is anobject of this invention to provide an improved combination guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp.

Another object of this invention is to provide a guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp in which the reflector means is releasably'assembled with the guard means and in assembly position is adjustably movable about the circumference of the guard means.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a guard for a portable lamp which is simple in design, rugged in construction and integrally formed with leg portions capable of supporting the lamp in a standing position and a hook portion for hanging the lamp.

Another object of this invention is to provide a guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp in which the guard means is comprised of longitudinally extending wire members, retained in an arcuately spaced relation by a retaining ring having a circumferential portion extending away from the wire members. A segmental arcuately shaped reflector plate of a length, substantially coextensive with the wire members is slidably movable on the circumferential portion of the retaining ring, with means being provided for adjustably supporting the reflector plate on the guard means.

Further objects, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portable lamp showing the combination guard and reflector unit in assembly therewith; I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lamp assembly shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 showing the adjust able assembly of the reflector with the lamp guard means; and

Fig. 4 shows amodified form of the reflector and guard of Fig. 1, with the guard means being shown supporting the lamp in a standing position.

-Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a portable vapor proof lamp including a molded handle l9, and a glass bulb or globe II supported on one end of the handle member and retained in assembly position thereon by metal bands I2. While the lamp is illustrated as of vapor proof type it is to be understood that the novel guard and reflector means of this invention, now to be described, may be with a longitudinally extending portion I4 andan end portion I6 bent substantially normal to thelongitudinal portion I4.. The wiremembers I5 and I50. are supported in an angularly spaced relation about the longitudinal axis of the lamp, and hence also of the guard means I3, by flat retaining or supporting rings IIa-I'Ic, similarly provided with circumferentially spaced apertures adapted to receive therein corresponding longitudinal portions I4 of the wire, members I5 and Mia. The bent end portions I6 of the wire members I5 and I5a are. directed inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the lamp for connection together at such longitudinal axis by a common connecting member I8. As is clearly evident from Fig. 1 the length of the longitudinal portions I4 is greater than the longitudinal length of the glass bulb II so that the bent end portions I6 of the wire members I5 .and I5a enclose theiree end of the glass bulb II. The bent portions or bends I9 in the alternate wire members I5 are of an extended arcuate form relative to the bends I9a, in the remaining wire members I5a, so as to project longitudinally and laterally of the vguard.-

means I3 beyond the limits of the bends 19a to serve as feet upon which to support the complete unit as shown in Fig. 4.

In the assembly of the guard means I3 the.

ment of the ring I'Ic with the laterally extend- 7 ing parts of the'bends I9, the stopping action of the bends I9 being supplemented'by radially extending stop portions 22 integrally formed on the portions l4 of the wire members I5a as by-swedging, or pinching. V The ring He is retained against movement in an opposite direction or downwardly on the portions I4, as also viewed in Fig. 1, by stop portions 22 formed on all of the wire members I5 and I5a in abutting engagement with the side 2 I a of the ring I'Ic. Rings Na and lib are connected with the members-Hand I5a in a manner similar to that, of the ring "0, with the ring llb being positioned substantially intermediate the ends of the longitudinal portions l4 and held in a fixed position thereon by stop projections 22 formed to engage the opposite sides 23 and 23a of the ring llb (Figs. 1 and 3). The ring Ila is arranged at the free ends 24 of the portions l4, which ends are suitably peened or otherwise formed to prevent the ring ||a from slipping off of the wire members l5 and l5a.

The guard means |3 is connected with the handle portion In by means of screws 26 angularly spaced in the handle portion l and extended upwardly through the ring Ila and foot por tions 25 on the metal bands |2 through aligned corresponding apertures formed therein. Nuts 21 are operatively associated with the screws 26 and when tightened down engage the ring Ila I to draw the guard means |3 into assembly position with the handle portion II). By virture of the relative assembly of the rings Ila-I10 and 4 the wire members l and IE1; all portions of the guard means are rigidly secured together in fixed positions and adapted for rigid assembly with the handle portion ID to provide a sturdy guard means for the glass portions of the lamp.

In the use of portable lamps it is well known that the lamp is generally moved to a position in close proximity to the zone of working operationyso that unless the light from the lamp is properly reflected or shielded careful work is greatly impaired due to the continuous glare therefrom. It is desirable, therefore, apart from protecting the glass portions of the lamp from injury that reflector means be provided for the protection of the eyes of the user, and for a proper concentration of light over the zone of working operations. The reflector means 28 in the present invention is adapted for assembly with the guard means l3 as a complete unit, and includes a reflecting plate 29 of an arcuate form corresponding to the circumference of the rings lla-llc. The plate 29 is of an arcuate length equal to substantially about one-third of the circumferential length of the rings |1a-|'|c, and of a longitudinal or axial length substantially coextensive with the length of the longitudinal portions M of the wire members |5 and I511. Substantially intermediate the longitudinal ends 33 and 33a of the reflectorplate 29 is a split spring'ring 3| adapted to extend about the guard means B and provided at the split therein with fingergripping' portions 32. From a consideration of Figs. 1 and 3 it is seen that the split ring 3| is of a thickness radially substantially equal to the circumferential portion '30 of the rings ||a- Ilc, which extends radially outwardly from the wire members l5 and [5a.

In the assembly of the reflector means 28 with theguard means |3 the fingerportions 32 on the split ring 3| are spread apart an amount sufficient to provide for the slipping of the ring 3| about the guard means I3. As shown in Fig. 1 the spring ring 3| is secured to the reflector plate 29 by rivets 30 or the like such that when the plate 29 is coextensive with the longitudinal portions M, the ring 3| is positioned directly below the ring Nb and in sliding engagement with the under side 23a thereof, as viewed in Fig. 1. This engagement of the ring 3| relative to the retaining ring llb limits the longitudinal movement of the reflector means 28 in one direction relative to the guard means l3, withits movement in an opposite direction being defined by the engagement of the end 33 of the reflector plate 29 with the annular flange 94 on the handle portion Ill.

By virture of the split ring being of a thickness substantially equal to the circumferential ring portion 30, the inner periphery of the reflector plate 29 is in slidable engagement with the outer periphery of each of the rings lla- I'Ic, with the resilience in the split ring 3| serving to frictionally engage the reflector plate 29 and the rings ||a-|'Ic so that the reflector means 28 is adjustably movable and retained in any position to which it is moved about the guard means I3. The reflector means 28 is thus positively assembled with the guard means |3 for movement as a unit therewith, and adjustably movable on the uardmeans to any desired position on its circumference.

A modified form of reflector means adapted for assembly with the guard means I3 is shown in Fig. 4, the guard means I3 being similar in all respects to the guard means in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 4 the reflector means 28' is comprised of a reflector plate 29 having an arcuate shape corresponding substantially to the inner periphery of the retaining rings |'|a|'| c and a length substantially co-extensive with the length of the longitudinal portions M of the wire members l5 and l5a. In the assembly of the reflector means 29 with the guard means 3, the reflector plate 29* is inserted within the guard means l3 in an annular space 35 formed between the longitudinal portions l4 and the metal bands l2 surrounding the glass cover or bulb II. It is apparent, of cuorse, that when metal bands 2 are not utilized, the inner side of the annular space 35 will be defined directly by the glass cover H, or directly by a lamp when no cover is used. The reflector plate 29' is formed with a circumierentially extending recess 36 substantially intermediate the ends thereof which is adapted to receive in sliding engagement the inner peripheral portion of the retaining ring Ill). The reflector plate 29' is thus held in sliding engagement with the ring l lb by virtue of its position in the space 35 be-. tween the portions M and the metal bands l2, and in a fixed position longitudinally of the guard means i3 by the mating engagement of the ring Nb and recess 36. The annular space 35 pro; vided between the metal bands l2 and the p0r. tions I4 is of a size such that the reflector plate. 29' is freely movable about the guard means l3 in sliding engagement with the ring l'lb without becoming disengaged from the ring llb. Adjust-, ment of the reflector means 28' circumferentially about the guard means It is accomplished by inserting the fingers between the wire members l5 and |5a and then pushing the reflector means to any desired position.

As previously mentioned the wire members |5 are provided with ends l9 which project laterally and longitudinally of the guard 13 beyond the confines of the bends I90, on the wire members I5a. This construction of the bends 49 provides legs or feet which ar capable of supporting the lamp in a standing inverted position as shown in Fig. 4. Although four of the wire members |-5 are shown with supporting legs or bends l9 it is to be understood that only three legs could be used with equal satisfaction.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 one of the wire members -|-5 is shown as being integrally formed with a hook portion 31 for suspending the lamp. The portion of the wire forming the hook '31, as shown particularly .in Fig. 2, is projected longiudinally outwardly from the guard means l3 a distance equal to the bends, l9, so as to also functionasa supporting leg for the lamp, agndlis then,

bent laterally downwardly to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, reversely bent in following contour with the hook portion 31 and extended to the connecting member I8. The hook portion 31 is thus formed integrally with the guard means l3 with the reverse bending of the wire member from which it is formed increasing its rigidity and strength so as to eliminate any possibility of its being broken off or damaged over a long service life. I

From a consideration of the above description and drawings it is seen that the invention provides for a combination guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp which is simple in design, rugged in construction and adapted to provide for either the suspension of the lamp, or the support of the lamp in a standing position. The reflector means is operatively assembled in releasable connection with the guard means and in its assembly position is simply and easily moved about the circumference of the guard means to any desired position.

It is to be understood that although the invention has been described with specific reference to several preferred embodiments thereof it is not to be so limited, since the parts thereof and their relative arrangement can be changed in a manner which is within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A guard unit for a portable lamp including in combination a plurality of longitudinally extending members converging to a common center at one end, with certain of said members being bent substantially at right angles and deformed into feet portions to support said guard unit and lamp at such one end on a substantially horizontal surface, a one-piece ring member rigidly secured on said guard unit at said one end having annularly spaced apertures therein with each member in a corresponding aperture and with said ring positioned immediately adjacent said feet and maintained at one side against movement toward said one end by the bend of said feet, and with said members having stop portions integral therewith on the other side of said ring to maintain said ring against movement on said members away from said one end, said ring acting to maintain all of said longitudinally extending members in fixed annular spacing and acting to maintain rigid said feet portions on certain of said members.

2. A combination guard and reflector unit for a portable lamp device including a plurality of longitudinally extending members converging to a common center at one end and adapted for mounting at the other end on the portable lamp device, said members serving collectively as a lamp guard and having an inner side and an outer side, an annularly extending ring rigidly secured to said members intermediate said one and said other ends and positioned in a plane at right angles to said longitudinally extending members, and reflector means including an arcuate reflector plate mounted on said lamp guard on one of said sides thereof and manually adjustable annularly on said side, said reflector means being deformable for removal from or insertion on saidlamp guard, and said reflector means having an arcuate portion intermediate its ends for mating engagement with said annularly extending ring to guide the reflector means upon annular adjustment thereof and to limit its movement longitudinally of said guard unit when in a normal non-deformed condition.

3. In a portable lamp guard unit having longitudinally extending side members with a securing ring intermediate the ends thereof and in a plane at right angles thereto, reflector means for said guard unit including an arcuate reflector plate positionable on the outside of the guard unit members and adjustable annularly relative thereto, said reflector means including a yieldable finger gripping portion extending from each of two sides of said reflector plate to grip the outside of said guard unit to retain the reflector means thereon with said gripping portions secured to said reflector plate at a position intermediate its ends corresponding to the position of the securing ring on the guard unit substantially for mating engagement with said ring when the reflector means is on the guard unit.

4. In a portable lamp guard unit having longitudinally extending side members with a securing ring intermediate the ends thereof and in a plane at right angles thereto, reflector means for said guard unit including an arcuate reflector plate positionable on the inside of the guard unit members and adjustable annularly relative thereto, said reflector plate having an arcuate groove intermediate its ends for mating engagement with the guard unit securing ring to guide the reflector plate as it is adjusted, said reflector plate being deformable arcuately for movement in and out of the mating engagement.

RUDOLF POPP. 

